Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Issue 2 ChampionshipChampionship ChronicleChronicle 2009 US Women’s Chess Championship Zatonskih Stays Perfect, Krush Sends Message Day two of the 2009 US Women’s she felt she had a winning position Championship saw the two main towards the end but she, like Inside this issue: favorites both win. Krush in the previous round, fell victim to Melekhina’s stubborn IM Anna Zatonskih won her second defense and a draw was agreed. Ben’s Best: 2 game in a row, this time a victory over WIM Battsetseg Tsagaan who WIM Iryna Zenyuk got off the Goletiani-Krush insisted on complicating the posi- mark with a win against Yun Fan Zatonskih-Tsagaan 3 tion when she had little time left although check out the analysis for on the clock. Fan’s not very obvious missed draw opportunity at the end of the Foisor-Abrahamyan 4 IM Irina Krush sent a message to game. the rest of the competitors with a fighting win with the black pieces And last but not least, WGM Sa- Melekhina-Baginskaite 5 against one of her major rivals, IM IM Anna Zatonskih, current leader, and bina Foisor and WFM Tatev Abra- Rusudan Goletiani. IM Irina Krush, just a half-point be- hamyan had a complicated affair hind, will meet in a crucial round 3 that eventually fizzled out to a Fan-Zenyuk 6 Having being held to a draw with encounter. (Photo Betsy Dynako) draw. the white pieces in round one, Krush saw this game as a “must WGM Camilla Baginskaite moved Photo Gallery 7 win” and succeeded in her quest to into joint second place but was not fall a full point behind Zaton- kicking herself after her game skih. FM Mike Klein’s Daily 8 against WIM Alisa Melekhina as Wrap Current Standings: Round 3 Match-Ups 1 Anna Zatonskih, 2 2-4 Irina Krush, 1½ 2-4 Sabina Foisor, 1½ Round 3 sees probably the most Championship and with the 30- In other match-ups, IM Iryna 2-4 Camilla Baginskaite, 1½ anticipated game of the tourna- move rule in effect, most people Zenyuk plays WGM Sabina Foisor, 5-7 Rusudan Goletiani, 1 ment when IM Anna Zatonskih and are expecting a blood bath. WFM Tatev Abrahamyan plays 5-7 Iryna Zenyuk, 1 IM Irina Krush play against each WIM Alisa Melekhina and WIM WGM Camilla Baginskaite will play 5-7 Alisa Melekhina, 1 other. Battsetseg Tsagaan plays Yun Fan against IM Rusudan Goletiani who in a battle of players yet to get on 8 Tatev Abrahamyan, ½ These two have not played each may feel this is a “must win” for the scoreboard. other since their infamous play-off her to stay in with a chance of 9-10 Battsetseg Tsagaan, 0 match in last year’s US Women’s winning the tournament. 9-10 Yun Fan, 0 Page 2 Championship Chronicle Ben’s Best: Goletiani vs Krush GM-Elect Ben Finegold Picks His Game of the Day Goletiani,Rusudan (2437) − tion was close to winning, but XIIIIIIIIY once again, much better. Krush,Irina (2490) could not find the knockout blow. 8-+r+-+-tr0 29...Rxd2 30.Bxd2 Rb3! 31.exd5 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.c4 12.Qc2 exd5 32.f4 Ndf6 33.Nc3 Bxf4 7zp-+n+kzp-0 34.Be1 Ke6 35.Ra2 Kd6 36.a4 Irina said she had not fully pre− I thought this was an odd move a6! pared for 4.c4. Krush expected during the game, but, it turns out 6-+-+psnp+0 some kind of Reti, but was not to be the most common continua− 5wqp+p+-+-0 Controlling b5. sure what move order Rusa would tion! White scores over 70% with 4-vl-zP-+-zP0 37.a5 Bg3 38.Bd2 Bxh4 39.Bf3 try. The text move is aggressive, 12.g5 hxg5 13.hxg5 Rxh1 3+-sN-+-+R0 Bg3? and a good choice, especially as 14.Bxh1. Rusa saw this variation, In time trouble, Irina misses a surprise. but thought the g5 pawn might be 2PzPQvLPzPL+0 39...Ne4! 40.Bxe4 Ng3+! -+ too loose after 14...Nh7. During 4...Bg4 5.Ne5 Bf5 6.cxd5 cxd5 1tR-+-+K+-0 the live commentary, I thought 40.Be2 Bf4 7.Nc3 12.Qc2 was a bit strange. Some− xabcdefghy Finally time trouble is over! Black Black has to be careful of three how, I thought the black king was 18...Bd6!! is much better, but, white has things: (1) Her d pawn can be better on f7 then e8! Castling has Jen and I almost fell out of our good drawing chances once attacked, (2) her b pawn can be not been a top priority for many of chairs after this move! Simply again. attacked and (3) the bishop on f5 the players this event! brilliant! It prevents white from 41.Ke1?! can get pushed around with a 12...Kf7 13.d4 playing Rg3 and, at the same later g4! Rusa tries to execute time, prepares 19...b4. I have XIIIIIIIIY During the game, one of the live these ideas, but, especially the rarely seen a move which puts 8-+-+-+-+0 third one! spectators suggested 13.h5. I did not like this move due to 13..g5 ones queen in the line of fire of 7+-+-+-zp-0 7...Nbd7?! closing up the kingside. In fact, the enemy bishop (d2), but con− 6p+-mk-snp+0 XIIIIIIIIY 13.h5 is the most common move crete variations are more impor− 5zP-+p+-+n0 8r+-wqkvl-tr0 (!), but, black scores quite well! tant than strategical dogma! Goletiani's 13.d4 is best. 19.Qd3 b4 20.Nd1 4-+-zP-vl-+0 7zpp+nzppzpp0 I expected 20.Nb5, although white 3+rsN-+-+-0 6-+-+-sn-+0 13...Bb4 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 Krush was more worried about probably thought this could be 2R+-vLL+-+0 unsafe, with the knight having no 5+-+psNl+-0 15.hxg5. I expected Rusa's play flight squares. The text move is 1+-+-mK-+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 with Bxg5, Rh3, etc. Krush de− xabcdefghy 3+-sN-+-zP-0 fends well, and it seems she may passive, but solid. have been right about 15.Bxg5 20...Qa4 21.Bg5 Qc2 22.Qa6 [Better was.. 41.Bxa6! Bxd2 2PzP-zPPzPLzP0 being somewhat innocuous. Qc6 23.Qxc6 Rxc6 42.Nb5+ Kd7 43.Rxd2 ..and white 1tR-vLQmK-+R0 15...Qa5 A novelty. Gareev won Rybka thinks it is about equal, but, has good chances for a draw.] xabcdefghy a nice game in 2007 when he I was sure, during the game, that 41...Ne4! 42.Nxe4+ dxe4 faced 15...Rc8. I thought black's black was better. The white The least common move played 43.Bxf4+?! Nxf4 44.Bxa6 e3! counterplay on the queenside this pieces are not well coordinated, in this variation. More common 45.Kd1! Rb4 46.Kc1 game was excellent. Krush plays and black's king is perfectly safe. are 7...Nc6 or 7...e6. Now Goleti− 46.Ra3 Rxd4+ 47.Ke1 Rb4!-+ very aggressively in the counter− After white's next, black gets the ani goes for the throat! 46...Rxd4 47.Bb5 Kc5 48.Bf1 attack and causes white all sorts better rooks, with nice open files. 8.Qa4! Rd7! 49.a6 Kb6! of problems. 24.a3 bxa3 25.bxa3 Rb8 26.Rd3 Brilliant endgame play by Krush The strongest and most aggres− 16.Rh3 Rac8 17.Kf1 Rc4 27.f3? sive continuation! White must be leaves her with an easily winning Krush was critical of this move, Weakening the dark squares to try quick to punish the unusual Nbd7 position. Now both players had and thought Rusa should try to activate her game with e4. before black gets to complete her less than 10 minutes to finish the 17.Bd2 instead. During the live Better was 27.Nc3 and white is development with e6, Bd6, 0-0, game, and Rusa plays on to the commentary, I thought 17.Kf1 was only slightly worse. etc... Black must now defend d5... bitter end. A great fight from two normal, and I liked white's game. so∆ of the favorites. Perhaps Goletiani and I both un− XIIIIIIIIY 50.Be2 Ka7 51.Rb2 g5 52.Ra2 8...e6 9.g4! Bg6 10.h4 derestimated black's counterplay. 8-tr-+-+-+0 g6 53.Rc2 Re7 54.Kd1 Rh7! Surprisingly, I have 74 games in 17...b5 18.Bd2 7zp-+n+kzp-0 my database in this position, with 55.Bf3 Kxa6 [55...g4!-+] 56.Rc3 I was shocked by this move, and white scoring very heavily. To her 6-+-vlpsnp+0 Re7 57.Rb3 Ka5 58.Ke1 Ka4 expected 18.Qd3 breaking the credit, Krush defends well, and 5+-+p+-vL-0 59.Rb6 e2 60.Rd6 Re3 61.Bc6+ pin. For once, Rybka agrees! makes the most principled move. 4-+rzP-+-zP0 Kb4 62.Bh1 Nd3+ 63.Rxd3 Rxd3 This is too slow. Now black 64.Kxe2 Rd4 65.Ke3 Rf4 66.Be4 10...h6 11.Nxg6 fxg6 seizes the initiative, and white 3zP-+R+P+-0 Rf6 67.Bd5 Kc5 68.Be4 Kd6 During the live commentary, I was must think about getting equality. 2-+-+P+L+0 69.Bd3 Ke5 70.Be2 Rf4 71.Bd3 thinking white was doing quite g4 72.Be2 g3 73.Bf3 Kf5 74.Ke2 well. But, I also thought white 1tR-+N+K+-0 “Somehow, I Rb4 75.Bc6 Kf4 76.Bd5 Rb2+ must keep up the aggression, or, xabcdefghy 77.Kf1 Ke3 78.Kg1 Rd2 79.Bc6 thought the black eventually, black will complete 27...Nh5! 28.e4 Rc2?! Kf4 80.Bb7 Rd7 81.Bc6 Re7 development, and have a reason− king was better on Better was 28...Nf4.